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December -
January
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 A This 'n That Note from Ginny!
The Christmas season is
upon us! Doesn’t it seem like we were singing Easter
music a month ago? Weren’t we watching fireworks just
last week? Seems like lately I fly through the days on
Fast Forward, just like I devour the pages of a really
good novel. And when it’s over, I look back longingly
and think, “Why didn’t I slow down, so I could really
savor the story?”
This has been an
incredibly busy year for me. I’ve written 3 books
(that was not a typo – three!) and launched
another 3. I signed hundreds of copies at book stores
and book fairs, sang in an Easter cantata, spoke in a
bunch of churches and several ladies’ retreats, taught
at writers conferences, racked up more frequent flyer
miles than I have since I left my corporate job. Whew!
Thinking about it makes me tired.
In my prayer time the
other day I was recounting my activities to the Lord,
and I had one of those really cool experiences that
don’t happen as often as I’d like. I picked up my Bible
and opened it at random. My eyes were drawn to Mark 6,
where the apostles had just returned to Jesus after
being sent out to minister. They were telling him
everything they’d done, and in the midst of the hustle
and bustle that surrounded them, Jesus said, “Come with
me by yourselves to a quiet place and get some rest.”
(Mark 6:31)
Have you ever read a
verse and felt it resonate inside you, and you knew—just
knew—that the Lord was whispering that verse in
your ear? When I read those words, I knew they
were meant for me. Yes, I’ve been very busy, and my year
has been full of exciting and important activities. But
it’s time to rest. This December, I’m forcing myself to
slow down and enjoy each day, to spend time resting in
His presence. I’m going to savor the story as it
unfolds.
That’s my Christmas
wish for you, my friend. In the busy hustle and bustle
of this holiday season, may you find many moments to
slip away, spend time in His presence, and get some
rest.
Merry Christmas!
Virginia Smith
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My New Website |
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If you’ve visited
www.VirginiaSmith.org
lately you’ve noticed a change. In October I launched a new
website. I’m excited about the new look, created especially
for me by Pulse Point Design. I have many of the same pages
as before, though they’ve been dressed up a bit. The page I
used to call “Fun Stuff and Giveaways” can now be found
under “Reader Fun.” And I’ve added a new feature – a blog.
Yes, I’ve entered the blogosphere. But I’m a notoriously bad
blogger, so in an attempt to disguise it, my blog is called
“Ginny’s Journal.” Don’t expect daily posts, but every week
or so I do manage to record my thoughts on a variety of
topics from hummingbirds to finding inspiration for my books
in food. I hope you’ll take a look and let me know what you
think. You can still find me online at
www.VirginiaSmith.org,
and also at
www.VirginiaSmithBooks.com
A Great Reception for
A Taste of Murder
Good news! My latest novel
seems to appeal to the tastes of mystery/suspense lovers. (Oooh,
bad pun!) I’ve gotten
tons of emails from many of you who say you devoured the
book. (Aaaah, another one!) In fact, many of you have said
A Taste of Murder left you hungry for more. (Okay,
that’s the last.)
I’ve received a bunch of
emails asking, “Will we see more of these girls?” The answer
is: Yes! A Taste of Murder introduces a musical trio
that travels to small towns around the country playing their
music at weddings. I’m happy to say there will be two more
books in the Classical Trio Series. In April of 2009 the
trio travels to a ski resort in Park City, Utah, in
Murder at Eagle Summit. And in June 2009 they head to
Nashville, Indiana and uncover a ton of trouble in a scented
candle factory in Scent of Murder.
A Taste of Murder
won’t last long -- these
books tend to disappear quickly. Both of my first two
mysteries, Murder by Mushroom and Bluegrass Peril,
are now officially out of print. So to make sure you get
to read all three of the Classical Trio Series, you’ll want
to purchase your copy of A Taste of Murder now,
before it becomes scarce. Your local bookstore can order it,
or you can order it from an online retailer like
Amazon.com or by going to my
website
and clicking on the “Purchase this Book” link.
And remember—you can get
autographed copies of all of my books, even the out of print
ones, from
www.SignedByTheAuthor.com.
Signed books make great Christmas gifts!
Want to read the first
chapter of A Taste of Murder? Visit my
website, or click
here. But be warned –
this little nibble will only whet your appetite for the full
meal. (Ha! That was really the last one. I promise!)
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Coming in
February:
Age before Beauty
The second Sister-to-Sister book is
almost here! Age before Beauty is the story of Allie
Sanderson Harrod, the oldest of the three sisters introduced
in Stuck in the Middle. I never play favorites among
my books, but I have to tell you, Allie’s story is very
special to me. She’s lively and fun and slightly obsessive –
okay, a lot obsessive. Here’s what a few of my author
friends who’ve read the book in advance have said:
“In Age before
Beauty, Virginia Smith strikes a beautiful balance
between humor and poignancy in her tale of one woman’s
struggle to be all: wife, mother, sister, and daughter.
And that’s before her testy mother-in-law moves in.
Fortunately, Allie is about to discover that by making
room for God, she doesn’t have to go it alone."
Tamara
Leigh
award-winning author of Splitting Harriet
and Faking Grace
“You’ll laugh,
you’ll cry . . . well, you’ll mostly laugh as you join
the plight of Allie Harrod, a stressed-out wife, mom,
and entrepreneur who’s doing way too much but failing to
do anything well at all. Age before Beauty is a
whimsical and touching story that will have you cheering
for Allie as she slowly discovers what is most important
for both herself and her family.”
Melanie
Dobson
author of Together for
Good, Going for Broke, and
The Black Cloister
“Age before Beauty is an entertaining, diverting
story for anyone who’s ever felt pinched between two
generations or pummeled by their checkbook . . . which
would mean just about all of us.”
Allie
Pleiter
author of Queen Esther and the Second
Graders of Doom and
Bluegrass Hero
You’ll have multiple chances to read Age before Beauty
before for free, some of them before the official
release date. First, keep an eye on
www.VirginiaSmith.org,
because as soon as I receive my author copies (probably
early January), I’ll start giving them away. Second, if
you’re on GoodReads, you can enter to win one of 25 free
copies in the First Reads program. Visit
www.goodreads.com/giveaway
and look for Age before Beauty. And third, we’re
hosting a blog tour during February. Many of those bloggers
will give away a copy. Watch the
News &
Events page on my website in late January for a list of
participating bloggers.
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Watch
the Book Trailer for Age before Beauty
I’ve created my very first book trailer! What? You’ve
never heard of a book trailer? It’s a short video preview of
a book, sort of like the previews you see at the movie
theater before the feature film begins. I worked hard
on this trailer, so I’m eager to show it off. Visit
http://www.virginiasmith.org/contemporary.html to watch,
and be sure to turn on your sound so you can hear the music
and the awesome voice-over. And let me know what you think!
For
Writers: The Book of Your Heart |
If you’ve ever cherished the
hope of writing a book, I think you’ll enjoy my article in
the December issue of
Christian Fiction Online Magazine.
Click the magazine cover
to enter the site, and look for my name in the left column.
For Readers:
Christmas Book Giveaway!
I know
the truth of the old saying, ‘Tis more blessed to give
than to receive. If my budget would allow, I’d give
every one of you a Christmas gift, and I’d be blessed
several thousand times over! Since that’s not possible, I’m
conducting a special book giveaway. On December 15th
I’ll give away two copies of each of my six published books,
autographed and personalized to you (or someone else, if
you’re into ‘re-gifting.’) For details, visit the
Reader
Fun page of my website.
If you’d
like an autographed book plate to put inside a book you’ve
already purchased, I’ll send you one for free! Send your
request—including the name of the person to sign the book
plate for, the title of the book, and the mailing
address—through the Contact page on my website. |
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And Finally ... |
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